Dear Airborne colleagues, I am hoping you may be able to help. I read that: One man, Frank Kelly, a Lewisham lad captured by the Germans at Arnhem and liberated from Stalag 4B Now in my POW listing the only F Kelly I can find in Stalag 4B is the one below: Name: F Kelly Rank: Private Army Number: 3328414 Regiment: Highland Light Infantry POW Number: 76160 Camp Type: Stalag Camp Number: IV-B Camp Location: Mühlberg, Elbe, Brandenburg Record Office: Infantry Record Office, Perth Record Office Number: 16 I am hoping someone with Arnhem and Airborne knowledge can tell me that they 2 are one and the same or if not have you any further details to solve it?? Regards TD
That's him, TD. He was a medic captured at Arnhem. When the Russians liberated Stalag IVB at Mühlberg, Frank decided to hang about and ended up arrested by the Soviets. His book is excellent: http://www.quicksales.com.au/ad/pri...muhlberg-mühlberg-soviet-prison-camps/1784283 Regards, Dave
What's Behind Hospital Is Heaven After Soviet Hell - Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 - 1954) - 29 Nov 1953
What a coincidence - just found this on another - Herbert Lovegrove The outstanding Second World War Prisoner of War Escape to Russia Distinguished Conduct Medal group awarded to Private H. Lovegrove, 4th City of Aberdeen Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, who was one of 15 British prisoners to escape to Russia prior to the German invasion of that country, and suffered horrendously at the hands of his NKVD captors being accused of being a German spy, he twice had to force issues through going on hunger strike. The outstanding Second World War Prisoner of War Escape to Russia Distinguished Conduct Medal group TD
I'd suggest the above info is incorrect......If you refer to the Arnhem nominal roll in Red Berets and Red Crosses there is a Private F Kelly 14709611....133 PFA......He also wrote a book called Private Kelly by himself and in recent years there was an article about him in Britain at War magazine although there were some mistakes in the article......
I agree with Airborne Medic Frank James William Kelly was a member of 133 Parachute Field Ambulance who was captured at Arnhem and when his camp was liberated failed to rejoin his unit but stayed in Russian hands until November 1953. On his return to the UK consideration was given to charging him with being absent without leave but it was decided that he had suffered enough whilst in Russian hands, he then sought arrears of Army Pay for his time in Russia. If you're looking for his genealogical details he was born 23 Oct 1917 and lived at Waghorn Rd, Kenton, Middlesex. This was recorded as his Aunt's address (a Mrs Kemp) but it transpired that it was the address that he had lived at before enlisting and that she was just a friend, he was estranged from his parents. He enlisted on 3 Feb 1944 and was transferred to the RAMC. His service number was 14709611. His POW Number was 91609
Name: F J W Kelly Rank: Private Army Number: 14709611 Regiment: Royal Army Medical Corps POW Number: 91609 Camp Type: Stalag Camp Number: XII-A Camp Location: Limburg, Baden-Württemberg Record Office: Royal Army Medical Corps and Army Dental Corps Record Office, Colet Court, Hammersmith, London, W6 Record Office Number: 30 TD
I know this thread is super old, but this was my Great Uncle Frank! I used to go and stay with him and my Aunty Joan, and my Gran still owns their house. It's strange seeing him appear online! I googled him for a project my daughter is doing
Hi, Welcome to the forum. Sadly the originator of this topic won’t be able to respond to you as he passed away in April 2022. Steve
Hi Rebecca, The late TD (Richard Carter) and I spent ages talking about your great uncle. Such a fascinating story. I recall Nigel Cawthorne, in his book "The Iron Cage" made the comment that Frank Kelly likely didn't say a whole lot about his time in the SU because UK military authorities warned him all about desertion charges.. One of the files we were looking to obtain was his military debriefing. But we are not family. The last line of the Daily Telegraph article makes it clear his story is held by some government department, somewhere Frank Kelly by himself - Newspapers.com Regards, Dave
Fascinating! Thanks for that, I've just sent it to my Dad and to my Gran who is his sister in law and is now 92 almost 93! They've never seen that clip! He never spoke of his time in the camp, not to my Dad or I anyway. Perhaps he did to the older ones in the family. I know the only reason he was released was that Stalin died. Otherwise he was sure he was there for life. How terrible. I was always amazed at his ability to seem so normal when I was a child, and not outwardly affected that I ever noticed. Poor him. He died when I was a teenager.
yes we managed to get a copy of that during lockdown in 2020. My gran said they all thought he was dead and had died in the war! Must have been surreal! I haven't read the book yet but am going to do so this year
Hi Rebecca, have you finished reading the book? I found it so fascinating that after five years, I'm reading it again. Amazing. But I haven't been able to find anything else on the Internet about your uncle's later years. By chance, do you or anybody else know when Frank Kelly passed away, the date? and also where he is buried? May he rest in peace.